NORWAY 2019 - Part 1: Starting in Bergen

We want to start this undoubtedly elaborate, intense, adventurous, and spectacular journey in Bergen, commonly known as the most beautiful city in Norway. Bergen, with over 200 rainy days a year, is actually the wettest city in Europe, and this was noticeably confirmed during my stay. The pictures I present here are not the picture-perfect views with lots of sunshine and blue skies. But they show Bergen as it really is, often cloud-covered and rainy. It was quite a feat to catch the constantly cloud-obscured Mt. Fløyen at the right moment, when the cloud curtain lifted for maybe half an hour, allowing me to take the funicular up and enjoy the magnificent view of the city from above.

The undeniable eye-catcher in Bergen are the crooked wooden houses in Bryggen, dating back to the early 18th century and located on the eastern side of the harbor basin. As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, they naturally attract large crowds of tourists, who, in rainy weather, wander aimlessly and senselessly in brightly colored and therefore photo-spoiling clothing on the square in front of them. Thus, it was a second act of skill for me to be able to capture a reasonably usable image of these truly impressive houses with their colorful facades.

To conclude this chapter, let's take a leisurely walk through the most beautiful, interesting, and tourist-free part of the city for me, the Nordnes district, where you can find many beautiful wooden houses in lovely, quiet, and small streets. Nordnes is located on the peninsula extending into the inner Byfjord, and the fact that I have included eight pictures of this part of the city here shows how much this neighborhood fascinated me the most.